Manager Carlo Ancelotti believes that Kylian Mbappe possesses all the qualities necessary to attain the status of the greatest player in history—Cristiano Ronaldo, in his view.

With a hat-trick against Man City on the evening of February 19, Mbappe has now scored 359 goals and provided 142 assists in 492 career appearances. His goal-scoring rate stands at 0.73 goals per match, matching that of Cristiano Ronaldo, while the French star’s assist rate is even better at 0.29 per game compared to Ronaldo’s 0.20.

This means that if he can maintain this form for just over another 10 years, the 26-year-old could surpass the Portuguese superstar. However, Mbappe’s overall efficiency still falls short of Lionel Messi’s (0.78 goals and 0.35 assists per match).

Ancelotti, who once regarded Ronaldo as the best player in history, is confident that Mbappe has what it takes to catch up with his idol. “Mbappe has the qualities to achieve the numbers that Ronaldo has reached,” the Italian coach said after Real’s victory over Man City at the Bernabeu. “Of course, Mbappe will have to work extremely hard because Ronaldo has set the bar very high, but Mbappe is making every effort to do just that.”

In that match, Mbappe scored two goals in the first half and added another in the second half—all with breathtaking strikes that helped Real completely subdue Man City. Ancelotti remarked that Mbappe’s presence at Real is like “the cherry on top of a sweet cake,” the final piece that completes the team. “Everyone was waiting for this hat-trick, and it finally came. But Mbappe isn’t the only one making a difference; many players contributed,” he added.

This was Mbappe’s second hat-trick for Real, following his three-goal display against La Liga’s Real Valladolid on January 25. However, it was his first hat-trick at the Bernabeu. When the former PSG forward was substituted in the 78th minute, nearly the entire Bernabeu crowd rose to applaud.

Ancelotti also acknowledged that Real played a near-perfect game in both attack and defense. One major factor that made it easier for the home side was the absence of Man City’s key striker, Erling Haaland, due to injury. “Without Haaland, Man City is missing a target man in attack,” said the 65-year-old coach. “We also got off to a good start thanks to a long-ball goal, which made our game easier. Nevertheless, we must still respect Man City.”

Born on December 20, 1998, Mbappe had a slow start this season at Real but has now stamped his mark with 31 goals in 38 matches. He is in the hunt for his first Ballon d’Or. At Mbappe’s current age, Ronaldo has already won one Ballon d’Or, while Messi has claimed as many as four.